Master Emerald
Basic Information It is a massive green emerald and a mystical relic of immeasurable power from the forgotten past. Created by the gods, the Master Emerald acts as a counter to the Chaos Emeralds. The one who controls the Master Emerald can nullify and control the Chaos Emeralds, making the Master Emerald a very valuable gem. The Master Emerald rests on Angel Island where its power keeps the island afloat in the sky, without it, the island will fall down. Over the last four millennia, the Master Emerald has been guarded by the surviving echidnas of the Echidna Tribe who has kept the gem safe from those seeking it for their own gain. In the present day, its new and current guardian is Rawky the Echidna. History It is said that it was created by the gods as a balance against the power of the Chaos Emeralds after they saw people use them for evil, so they gave the gem the ability to nullify and control the Chaos Emeralds. An ancient mantra associated with the Emeralds eventually arose, explaining their connection and abilities. Over four thousand years ago, the Master Emerald and the Chaos Emeralds resided in the Altar of the Emeralds, a shrine in the outskirts of the Mystic Ruins where a colony of Chao lived peacefully. The shrine was protected by a sacred barrier, preventing anyone from taking the Emeralds. Eventually, a residential Chao encountered the Master Emerald and got mutated into the mystical water beast Chaos, who became the guardian of the shrine's inhabitants and Emeralds. As the ancient Knuckles Clan arose, the members would revere the Master Emerald as a sacred object. It was around four thousand years ago that Tikal, the daughter of chief Pachacamac of the Echidna Tribe and a friend to the Chao and Chaos, was allowed into the shrine. There, she saw the Master Emerald and understood its role from her tribe's mantra. As the Echidna Tribe faced extermination at the hands of the Nocturnus Clan, Pachacamac and his followers launched a raid on the altar to steal the Emeralds and gain extreme power. Tikal stood between them however, begging them to leave the creatures and the Emerald, in peace. However, her request fell on deaf ears, and the Tribe trampled over Tikal and the Chao alike in the process, prompting Chaos to appear and wipe out most of the clan in a fit of rage as Perfect Chaos. The creature out of control and poised to destroy the planet, Tikal prayed to the Master Emerald to stop Chaos. In response, the gem sealed both Chaos and Tikal inside itself. In the process, it created an energy surge that ripped off a large part of land and it into the sky where it would float with the remaining echidnas, creating Angel Island. With the Master Emerald keeping the island airborne, the surviving members of the Knuckles Clan would devote themselves to protecting the prized gem in hopes of preventing a tragedy like the Chaos incident from occurring again. Throughout history, many people tried to steal the Master Emerald, and each time, they were stopped. Over the centuries, some surviving members of the Echidna Tribe became even fewer. And that being, in the present, Rawky the Echidna is now the one to guard the Master Emerald, knowing from innate knowledge that this was his purpose, and spent his life in solidarity. Powers The Master Emerald is known as the most powerful relic on Earth, surpassing even that of the Chaos Emeralds which are said to have ultimate power. It holds unbound and infinite power in the form of extremely potent and raw chaos energy which can be harnessed to power and/or empower machinery, enable Chaos Powers and initiate a super transformation. Like the Chaos Emeralds, its power can also be harnessed to perform certain reality-warping feats, such as transporting Onyx Island through time and restoring a planet shattered with Chaos Control. As its primary function, the Master Emerald contains special powers that lets it nullify and control the Chaos Emeralds' energies. This gives it the ability to either completely shut down the Chaos Emeralds' energies or amplify their power. However, it is only those from the Echidna Tribe who can harness the full potential of the Master Emerald and communicate with it. Just like the Chaos Emeralds, the Master Emerald has shown some sort of sentience. When the Master Emerald is shattered into several pieces, it can repair itself if its shards are brought back together. However, shattering the Master Emerald seems to give the shards an explosive trajectory, causing them to fly a great distance which makes the task of gathering them rather annoying.